The 1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team is considered one of the strongest in OSU history, fielding 11 All-Americans and six first-round NFL draft picks. With quarterback Rex Kern

Rex Kern

Rex William Kern is a former American football player. He played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1968 to 1970, and played professional football in the National Football League at defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills...

 and running back Jim Otis

Jim Otis

James Lloyd "Jim" Otis is a former college and professional American football running back.-College career:Otis was a fullback for the Ohio State University Buckeyes from 1967-69. He led the team in rushing every year of his college career...

 leading a powerful OSU offense and Jack Tatum

Jack Tatum

John David Tatum was an American football defensive back who played ten seasons from 1971 through 1980 for the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League...

 on defense, Woody Hayes

Woody Hayes

Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...

' Buckeyes capped an undefeated season with a dominating 50–14 victory over archrival Michigan

Michigan-Ohio State rivalry

The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, also known as The Game, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Wolverines of the University of Michigan and the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University...

 and a come-from-behind 27–16 victory over Southern California in the 1969 Rose Bowl

1969 Rose Bowl

The 1969 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1969. It was the 55th Rose Bowl Game. The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the USC Trojans, 27–16. Rex Kern, the Ohio State quarterback, was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game....

 to secure the national title. This was also the first year the Buckeye players were awarded Buckeye pride stickers for their helmets, each one a reward for a good play. OSU was the first team to have such a program.

Schedule

Statistical leaders

• Scoring-Jim Otis
  Jim Otis
  James Lloyd "Jim" Otis is a former college and professional American football running back.-College career:Otis was a fullback for the Ohio State University Buckeyes from 1967-69. He led the team in rushing every year of his college career...
  
  
• Rushing-Jim Otis
• Passing-Rex Kern
• Receiving-Bruce Jankowski

1969 NFL draftees

1969 NFL Draft

The 1969 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft, the third and final year in which the NFL and American Football League held a joint draft of college players. The draft took place on January 28–29, 1969....

Player	Round	Pick	Position	NFL Club
Rufus Mayes Rufus Mayes Rufus Lee Mayes was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Ohio State University and high school football for Toledo Macomber.Rufus died Jan. 1, 1990 at age 42...	1	14	Tackle	Chicago Bears 1969 Chicago Bears season The 1969 Chicago Bears season was their 50th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 1-13 record, the worst in franchise history....
Dave Foley Dave Foley (American football) David Foley is a former college and professional offensive lineman of the 1960s and '70s.Foley was a three-year starter at offensive tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes under head coach Woody Hayes...	1	26	Tackle	New York Jets 1969 New York Jets season The 1969 New York Jets season was the tenth season for the team in the final season of the American Football League . Trying to defend their AFL championship and Super Bowl III title, they won the AFL Eastern Division again with a 10–4 record...
Steve Howell	10	239	Tight End	Cincinnati Bengals 1969 Cincinnati Bengals season The 1969 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 2nd year in professional football.Paul Brown drafted quarterback Greg Cook of the Univ. of Cincinnati in the first round.The same draft also produced linebacker Bill Bergey....